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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26282128">Choices and Ultimatums</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikolaosT/pseuds/NikolaosT'>NikolaosT</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Arrow (TV 2012), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Young Justice (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Angst, Barbara Gordon is Batgirl, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Dick Grayson as Slade Wilson's Apprentice, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Dick Grayson is Renegade, Dick Grayson is Robin, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd is Robin, Mirakuru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:00:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26282128</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikolaosT/pseuds/NikolaosT</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It all came down to this moment. Standing on a roof opposite his former team. He knew what he had to do, but doing so would have him crossing yet another line that he never thought he would cross. He did this and he killed another part of him that used to make him Robin. There would be no going back.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>145</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is set before season 2 of YJ. Dick is about sixteen years old at this point. I'm incorporating bits and pieces from other Batman/DC sources.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Looking over to his former team mates he realised they didn't recognise him in the all black suit and the black face shield that covered his whole face.</p><p>"You will surrender the item and come peacefully with us," demanded Aqualad. Dick couldn't help but roll his eyes at the ridiculousness of that statement. No wonder bad guys never just up and surrendered.</p><p>"Sure," smirked Dick as he tossed the small Perspex case that contained the microprocessor at the team, making it go high as he rushed low. Skidding along the gravel roofing, stopping only once he was in the middle of the heroes, compromising all of their personal space so that he had the advantage with his close quarters fighting style.</p><p>He kicked Aqualad in the back of the legs first, so the older hero crumpled to the ground, at the same time he reached up and grabbed Artemis' bow, yanking her off balance as she still tried to keep hold of her weapon. He slammed the bow, and consequently Artemis into the side of Kid Flash, Artemis now losing her hold and toppling Kid Flash to the floor.</p><p>Dick kicked Miss Martian who was too shocked to move into Superboy, knowing he would catch her rather than try hitting him. Rolling closer to Zatanna he grabbed some gravel and threw it towards Rocket as a distraction knowing she would raise a shield while Zantanna started to speak a spell he used the palm of his hand to hit Zatanna in the chest, causing her to gasp as she tried to drag air into her lungs. Turning back to Rocket he grabbed two arrows from Artemis' quiver while pushing her to the floor, and back on top of Kid Flash before firing the arrows at Rocket.</p><p>As predicted Rocket quickly raised another shield to stop the trajectory, as she lowered the shield the arrows dropped to the floor just as Dick passed them and smacked the bow into the side of her head, knocking her out.</p><p>Dick stepped over the older teen as he simultaneously dropped the bow and scooped up the microprocessor that had landed on the floor next to where the heroes now lay.</p><p>"That was fun, we should do it again sometime," smirked Dick as he walked towards the edge of the roof. Pocketing the microprocessor he was about to jump, when a barrel of water came out of nowhere and knocked Dick away from the edge. His head hitting the small ledge that surrounded the roof, cracking his mask in two.</p><p>"That is far enough," stated Aqualad as he got to his feet and approached.</p><p>Dick groaned as he pushed himself up to his knees, the cracked face shield falling away so when he glared at Aqualad the teen hero recognised exactly who he was.</p><p>"Robin?"</p><p>Dick laughed as he got slowly to his feet, "Not anymore. You all saw to that." He ignored how his vision tilted slightly and he could feel his own blood running slowly down the side of his face, from the cut on his temple.</p><p>"Let's talk about this man," said Kid Flash as he stepped forward, his arms up in the gesture for peace. Dick watched as Artemis stood slowly from where she had been kneeling next to Rocket and Zatanna, reaching slowly behind her.</p><p>"Tut tut," said Dick pointing a finger at Artemis. "Sit."</p><p>Artemis pulled her hand back into view and away from the pouch that contained smoke bombs, knock out gas and flash bangs. She knelt next to the other two girls, Rocket was still unconscious and Zatanna was only just getting her breathing back under control.</p><p>"M'gann, it's not nice to intrude in other people's minds," said Dick before throwing up a mental shield so fast it had the Martian screaming in pain giving Dick the distraction he needed to turn and leap off the building.</p><p>He wasn't expecting Kid Flash to use his speed to run and tackle him, nor did he expect Kid Flash to throw him of all things back onto the roof.</p><p>Dick rolled to a stop, groaning as the pain in his head increased. Pushing himself up onto his hands and knees, he gasped as pain pulsed in his abdomen. Looking down he laughed, which turned into a groan as he saw a snapped arrow head embedded in his left side. Kid Flash had thrown him onto the two arrows which he himself had fired at Rocket and now one of them was sticking out of his own body.</p><p>"You really need to improve your aim," groaned Dick.</p><p>"Let us help you," said Superboy approaching slowly.</p><p>"Help me?" Dick growled as he gritted his teeth and got to his feet. Without removing the arrowhead he pressed his fingers around it to try and staunch the bleeding. He staggered slightly as he moved away from the Team.</p><p>He'd loss control of this situation and he knew it. The longer he stuck around, the longer they would have to overpower him. Even with all the training he had from Batman and his most recent training with Slade he couldn't take out the whole team with not one, but two injuries. Not unless he wanted to do them some serious harm. Which after everything he'd been through, the thought was tempting.</p><p>"Come on buddy," said Kid Flash. "We can figure this out. Whoever's making you do this we can stop them, together."</p><p>"We are your friends," added Aqualad.</p><p>"Do you know what the difference between choices and ultimatums are?" asked Dick as he edged further away from the heroes. "Your point of view."</p><p>He threw down three flash bangs as he flung himself over the edge of the roof. The wrong edge. There was nothing on this side that his grappling hook would be able to grip onto. Nothing to slow his decent and only air between him and the ground, ninety stories below.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, more ideas came. It took a while to decide how this story should look. Should this story be like John Wick and have the end scene first then go back to the beginning and then be very linear. Or should it be more like Man of Steel and have a multitude of flashbacks. Tough choices.<br/>Hopefully I've chosen right and you will enjoy.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The initial feeling of exhilaration that Dick always got when flying came over him as he leapt of the roof, right before the panic gripped him that he had no line, no safety net and no one was going to catch him. He couldn’t help but smile as the panic left just as quickly as it came and the feeling of peace took over.<br/>It was the same three feelings he’d had in quick succession the day that he’d first met Slade, the day when all this had started.</p>
<p>.<br/>.<br/>..flashback...<br/>.<br/>.</p>
<p>Dick walked out of the Zeta tube and straight into a typical Gotham night, cold, grey and wet. He didn’t have a jacket so was instantly soaked which just made his bad mood all the worse. Walking to the end of the alley, he started the long walk back to the manor. He could have taken the Zeta straight to the Batcave but that would mean having more of what he couldn’t have shoved in his face. <br/>Dick kicked a discarded can that was in his path down the street as he shoved his hands in his jeans pocket. His life sucked. All because the Joker got in a lucky shot. The shot that prevented him from ever going back to being Robin, and everybody had lied about it.<br/>Months of rehabilitation therapy, months of everyone convincing him that he just needed more time, months of him watching Jason being Robin and being so good at it that he fitted into the Team so easily. Fitted in with Batman and Batgirl like Dick had never existed. <br/>Gritting his teeth he kicked the can extra hard, they’d all lied to him! They knew his shoulder would never heal, could never be fixed! And they never told him, just strung him along. Like he was some dumb kid!<br/>He kicked the can extra hard, this time though it didn’t go in a straight line instead it hit the bumper of a car, which had someone sitting in the driver’s seat. Dick sighed as he bowed his head. Could this day get any worse?</p>
<p>“I’m sorry about your car,” muttered Dick. The guy though didn’t answer him as he exited the car and approached, didn’t even look at the scratch. </p>
<p>“Richard Grayson, you need to come with me,” said the guy.</p>
<p>“What?” asked Dick slightly stunned. Who was this guy? How did anyone even recognise him? He was on the wrong side of town, wearing clothes that made him look like any other teenager and... Wow, this guy was tall, definitely taller than Bruce. Weirdly wearing shades, no decent guy wore shades on a rainy day in Gotham. Not to mention his dark clothing and baseball cap, it all looked highly suspicious.</p>
<p>“Err... think you’ve got the wrong guy,” shrugged Dick as he started to edge past the guy. The man blocked his path again.</p>
<p>“Not likely,” said the guy as he placed his hand on Dick’s shoulder and started pushing him towards the car.</p>
<p>“I don’t think so,” snapped Dick as he twisted out of the man’s grip and increased the space between them. He needed to run. Clearly this was some kind of kidnapping and protocol was to act like any other incompetent civilian and run away. </p>
<p>“Don’t make this hard, and you won’t be hurt.”</p>
<p>“I’ve heard that one before,” smirked Dick as he turned and made a dash back the way he had come. He didn’t get very far before the guy was grabbing the back of his hoodie and pulling him backwards.<br/>Reacting fast he used the added momentum of being pulled to slam his right elbow into the guys stomach in the hope of winding him and giving Dick the chance to run. What he got though was pain, it spiked in his elbow and travelled up his arm to his shoulder and wrist. The guy was wearing body armor under his shirt. <br/>This wasn’t just an ordinary kidnapping. Adrenaline spiked through Dick as he bent down and twisted so that he slipped the hoodie and could get several feet away. He knew he should run, but the idea of being able to fight this guy was exhilarating. He hadn’t felt like this in months.</p>
<p>“Who are you?” asked Dick. </p>
<p>“I see you’ve made your choice,” said the guy, ignoring Dick’s question as he dropped the hoodie. </p>
<p>Dick had just enough time to duck under the guy’s left hook. Stepping quickly back as a kick came his way, he dodged another fist before missing the kick that got him in the ribs. Dick groaned as rolled across the wet ground. He may have underestimated this guy.<br/>Pushing himself up to his feet he looked back at the guy who was standing very still like he wasn’t worried about Dick being able to get away.</p>
<p>“Perhaps you’ve had a change of heart and would like to get in the car,” said the guy.</p>
<p>“Nope,” said Dick popping the ‘p’ with extra emphasis. He was done being careful, he wasn’t Robin anymore there was no secret identity to protect, Bruce saw to that when he gave Robin to Jason. Rushing forward he jumped up and flipped over the guy and kicked him in the back, propelling him forward. Or that was the plan, but the guy just dodged and grabbed Dick by the ankle and pulled.</p>
<p>Panic flooded his system briefly before Dick’s head slammed into the ground, hard. He groaned as he rolled over, ignoring the feeling of nausea as he looked up at the man who was standing over him. The man grabbed Dick by the collar and pulled him to his feet. The world around him twisted and he felt his knees buckle. The man changed his grip so he was holding Dick under the arms to keep him upright which just had him groaning more as his left shoulder was pushed in a direction it didn’t like to move anymore.<br/>They were at the car before the panic set in again, Dick started to struggle using his right arm to push away from the man, twisting so he had enough room to hit the guy in the face, yet only achieving to knock the cap and shades off the guy.<br/>Dick gasped and froze when he saw white hair and only one blue eye looking back at him, the right eye covered by a black eye patch. “Shit!”</p>
<p>“Very clever little bird,” said Slade right before he grabbed Dick by the neck and squeezed. Dick latched onto Slade’s wrist and tried to push the man away. He couldn’t believe Deathstroke was going to take him out. Him, Dick Grayson and not Robin.<br/>The edges of his vision was starting to blur, he felt his arms go weak as they dropped to his side, the world around him was fading and so was the panic. He could vaguely feel hands on him, moving him. Until there was nothing. No pain, no panic, just peace.</p>
<p>.<br/>.<br/>...Present day...<br/>.<br/>.</p>
<p>Falling and then pain.</p>
<p>Not the kind of pain that one would imagine when they slam at terminal velocity into the sidewalk ninety stories below.<br/>Instead it was pain that had Dick moving in another direction. His downward trajectory was now sideways with the sound of glass smashing around him before his senses caught up with him and he cried out in pain. Pain from his abdomen that felt like something was slicing through him.<br/>He was dizzy and felt sick and so many other things that he couldn’t quite decide what the number one priority was.</p>
<p>“Richard? Richard, look at me!” said Slade as he tapped Richard’s cheek as he tried to get the teenager’s attention. The boy blinked lethargically back at him, his hands moving to his abdomen. Slade looked down to see blood welling up through the boy’s fingers where they were around what looked like an arrowhead.</p>
<p>“Damn it!” muttered Slade as he probed the area, only making Richard flinch in pain. He looked out of the window they had crashed through; the junior heroes would be on their way soon. Being in the next building over, it wouldn’t take them long to figure out where Richard had gone. “Time to move!”</p>
<p>He started to pick Richard up but only had the teen crying out in pain, his hands moving from his stomach wound to push weakly at Slade.<br/>Slade placed the teenager gently back down before he took a closer look at the wound. Using his own knife to cut through Richard’s suit, exposing the wound more, he growled low in his throat when he saw the damage. When he had grappled into Richard’s trajectory he had pushed the arrowhead further into Richard’s flesh at an angle that deepened but worse, widened the wound. The arrowhead was now free to move and ultimately cause more damage every time Richard tried to move if it were left in place.</p>
<p>Moving quickly Slade pulled out his gun and ejected the bullet in the chamber. Using his knife he cut through the cap so the gunpowder was exposed. He was tempted to tell Richard what was about to happen next, the pain he was about to cause the teenager but one look at the boy’s face which had a thin film of sweat coating it and his eyes glassy told him he wouldn’t follow what Slade was telling him anyway. Better for Slade just to get this over with, so they could get away from this place and to safer ground.<br/>Taking a hold of the broken arrowhead, he pulled it out of Richard’s flesh swiftly, ignoring how Richard’s body arched up in trying to compensate for the increase in pain. Pouring the gunpowder from the bullet over the wound, he then quickly struck his knife and metal arrowhead together at the right angle to create a spark.<br/>The spark ignited the gunpowder which sizzled and popped, cauterizing the wound. Richard screamed, his body tensing and arching up before he went limp as he passed out.</p>
<p>Not wasting any time Slade picked up Richard and threw him over his shoulder, before moving towards the stairs of the building and down to the ground floor. Looking onto the street, he could see no signs of the junior heroes. <br/>Sticking to the shadows he walked down the sidewalk until he reached a vehicle which he could easily access. Laying Richard in the backseat he got in the driver’s seat and hot wired the engine and drove away. No burning of tires, no speeding, just another driver in traffic. Indistinguishable.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Your thoughts are always appreciated :-)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you to everybody who has reviewed, the encouragement is really appreciated and hopefully I will continue to rise to the challenge.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Richard? Richard!” called Slade. </p><p>Dick groaned as he heard his name being called. Though it sounded so far away.</p><p>“Grayson!”</p><p>Dick snapped his eyes open, sitting up slightly he gasped as pain ripped through his stomach, his head pounding in time with his heartbeat that made the world tilt. Collapsing back down he gasped for breath as he tried to get a grip on everything and work out where he was. <br/>A vehicle, he was lying across the back seat of a vehicle. Turning his head slightly he could see through the gap of the front seats and the back of Slade.</p><p>“Richard, I need you to sit up and look alive,” instructed Slade. “There’s a roadblock up ahead, I need you to sit up and not draw attention.”</p><p>“Who’s car is this?” mumbled Dick as he started to manoeuvre himself up into a sitting position, gritting his teeth as he went as the pain spiked again.</p><p>“It’s a loan,” smirked Slade. “Now do something about hiding the blood on your face.”</p><p>Dick collapsed with his back against the door as he breathed heavily, his hands resting over his abdomen where the pain emanated. He looked down to see a tear in the black fabric that made up his suit, dried blood covering the edges and his skin underneath. Pulling the fabric apart he groaned when he saw a black burn instead of an open wound, or even stitched.</p><p>“Wha... ya do?” gasped Dick closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the cool glass.</p><p>“I prevented you from bleeding out, but that’ll be tough to explain to a bunch of cops, now cover the wound and put your seatbelt on.”</p><p>Dick reached around him and grabbed the belt, groaning as he twisted and pulled it around him. He sagged back down, his eyes closing as he tried to breath past the nausea that was growing. Only opening his eyes again when he saw red and blue lights flashing through the windows.</p><p>“Turn your head away and keep your eyes closed,” instructed Slade. “You’re asleep and you’re not going to answer me or the cops if they direct a question at you. You’re just a normal teenager. Understand?”</p><p>“Yeah,” agreed Dick as he did what he was told, turning his head so the wound at his temple and the dried blood that was stuck down the side of his face wouldn’t be visible. As quick as he could he pulled off his black gloves that had his own dried blood on them and used his bare hands to cover the dried blood across his middle.</p><p>“Officer? Everything alright?” asked Slade as he opened the driver’s side window to speak to the police officer.</p><p>The officer in question shined a flashlight into the car to take a good look at Slade while his partner walked the other side of the vehicle and used his flashlight to look in the backseat. Dick stayed absolutely still, keeping his breathing nice and even, his eyes closed.</p><p>“Where are you heading?” asked the officer to Slade.</p><p>“Home to Syracuse. We’ve been visiting family in Metropolis all weekend,” smiled Slade.</p><p>“Your son?”</p><p>“Yeah, not sure how I’m going to get him up for school in the morning, but he spent the whole time playing with his cousins outside rather than being stuck to a screen so I guess I shouldn’t complain.” Slade gave a slight chuckle at the end of the sentence, his smile widening slightly as he kept eye contact with the officer.</p><p>The officer smiled in return, “I’ve got three teenage girls myself. I’m pretty sure they think the apocalypse is happening if they don’t have their cell phones within three feet of them.<br/>“You drive safe now.”</p><p>“Will do,” smiled Slade as he started winding the window up and driving slowly away from the checkpoint.</p><p>“What were they checking for?” asked Dick from the back seat.</p><p>“Don’t know and I wasn’t going to ask,” answered Slade as he kept within the speed limit. He glanced at Dick via the rear view mirror, the teenager didn’t look good. “Why do you think I used the story of father and son?”</p><p>“Wha...?” asked Dick in confusion.</p><p>“Think it through, why did I use that story?”</p><p>Dick licked his lips before answering, “Our ages are right.”</p><p>“Go on,” instructed Slade. He was becoming more concerned about the boy.</p><p>“Makes sense,” gasped Dick as he licked his lips again, in the hope that the rising nausea would dissipate. “The cop’s age would likely make him a father. You... you needed him to...” Dick groaned as the pain intensified, the nausea rising with it.</p><p>“Richard?”</p><p>“’m gonna throw up,” muttered Dick as he started to struggle with the seatbelt.</p><p>“Damn it.” muttered Slade as he quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road. Getting out and walking around to Dick’s door. Seeing the teenager still struggling with the belt he used his own knife to slice through the fabric and haul the younger man out and onto the gravel where he promptly threw up.</p><p>Slade watched as the kid started to sway on his hands and knees. Grabbing the boy’s shoulders he moved the teen to sit against the wheel arch. Taking Richard’s head between his hands he tried to get his attention, but he only received groans in response. Using his fingers he forced open the boy’s eyelids, noting the uneven pupil size. Definitely concussion.</p><p>“What did I tell you about moving faster,” sighed Slade.</p><p>-</p><p>--flashback--</p><p>-</p><p>“Are you going to stand there all day or come down here?” said Slade looked up to the porch where Richard was standing. He watched as the boy looked over towards where the driveway was that lead to the road.</p><p>Sighing Slade took a step forward getting the teenager’s attention. “You can try running if you’d like, but I promise you won’t get any further than you did the last time and I’ll lock you in your room for the rest of the week.”</p><p>Richard glared at him before stepping off the porch and onto the grass. “Good choice.” </p><p>Richard only huffed in response. Choosing to ignore the teen’s lack of communication Slade walked back over to where he had been originally standing and picked up four wooden staffs.</p><p>“Batman has taught you stick fighting?” asked Slade as he tossed two of the staffs to the teen. Richard didn’t answer him only caught the sticks. “Richard?”</p><p>“What!”</p><p>“If you do not wish to train then you can go back and sulk in your room.”</p><p>“Really? That’s the choice I get. Do as you say or be locked in a box?”</p><p>“Your room is not a box,” sighed Slade. He was becoming tired of the kid’s petulance.  “What is your choice?”</p><p>“How about option three, you just let me walk out of here and I find my own way home.”</p><p>“No.” Slade watched as the teen tightened his grip on the two staffs, his anger rising. It was an interesting trait the teen had developed. He’d seen the boy from a distance when he was Robin and the boy never seemed to stop smiling and yet all the time he had been tailing the teen in Gotham he hadn’t seen him smile once. He had seen him scowl a lot and argue with friends and teachers, even his father. It could just be teenage hormones or the after effects of the injury that the Joker inflicted on him. But something told Slade that the anger Richard was so good a letting loose these days had always been there. Maybe this was a good time to really see how Richard would use that emotion.</p><p>Without warning Slade launched an attack on the teen. Richard was able to get his sticks up in a clumsy block, before he was back peddling and trying to put space between them.</p><p>“What the fuck!” snapped Richard as he stood in a defensive stance.</p><p>“Language Richard, don’t let me have to remind you again, you would not like the consequences,” said Slade as he moved slightly slower this time, telegraphing his move clearly of bringing one stick in a downwards arc towards the teen. Richard countered easily as predicted, so Slade followed quickly with another move.<br/>He then left his left side open on purpose and as predicted the teen saw the opening and attacked. The force though was minimal.</p><p>“No wonder you got shot if Batman taught you not to use your full strength while sparring,” said Slade. He watched as Richard scowled at him. “No matter the fight, you should fight to win.”</p><p>“Trust me, I want to win,” growled Richard as he swung his own staffs at Slade.</p><p>“Then what? You leave me bleeding on the ground and go home. As I told you many times before, no one is looking for you. Your new brother has taken your place in your home and on your team. What do you have to go back for?” taunted Slade.</p><p>“It’s better than being a prisoner here with you!” snapped Richard swinging his staffs again.</p><p>“You have free range of the house, hardly a prisoner,” stated Slade as he easily stepped out of the way of Richard's swing.</p><p>“But no freedom,” growled Richard as he swung again. Slade noticed that the teenager was once again barely using his left arm. Moving quickly in for another attack Slade purposefully aimed for Richard’s left side. <br/>Richard twisted and flipped out of the way, rather than blocking, dropping the staff he held in his left fist.</p><p>“Stop expending energy on ridiculous acrobatics and be direct!” instructed Slade as he attacked again. Richard once again flipped further away which had Slade rolling his remaining eye in frustration. The boy always had to do things the hard way. Moving faster than before he waited for Richard to start another flip and whacked him in the stomach with a staff causing the boy to collapse to the ground with a cry.</p><p>“Stop with the theatrics. Use that extra energy in your hits. Make. Them. Count!”</p><p>Richard got slowly to his feet, picking up the one staff with his right hand. “Use your left.”</p><p>“I can’t,” growled Richard.</p><p>“Use. Your. Left!” ordered Slade right before he attacked; purposefully aiming for Richard’s left side</p><p>“Fuck!” cried Richard as Slade’s staff hit his left arm and forced him to the ground.</p><p>“You really are limited,” sighed Slade standing over the teenager.</p><p>“Fuck you!” snapped Richard as he struggled to push himself back up to his feet.</p><p>“The lesson here is simple. Move faster.” Slade said as he swung the staff again.</p><p>-</p><p>--present--</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The Team stood around the main briefing room looking at Batgirl and Robin, waiting for answers. The broken face shield that Dick had been wearing lay on the floor between them.</p><p>“We’re really supposed to believe that Dick as gone over to the dark side?” asked Wally after a while, breaking the silence. No one answered him. “Come on, this is Dick. There’s got to be more to it.”</p><p>“If there is, we can’t find the answer,” shrugged Batgirl. “And trust me, we’ve looked.”</p><p>“Hold on a moment,” said Artemis. “We were told that Dick had gone to London with Alfred for specialist treatment for his shoulder. Are you telling us that was a lie?”</p><p>“Dickiebird’s shoulder ain’t never gonna get fixed,” huffed Robin. “He discovered the truth four months ago, right before we all witnessed him go postal on us, right here in the mountain. That’s the last time anyone saw him.”</p><p>“So he was right? Batman really did lie to him?” asked M’gann sadly.</p><p>“Batman always held out hope that Dick would heal, but the more time passed the less likely it looked,” sighed Batgirl. “He just didn’t tell Dick everything.”</p><p>“Did you know?” asked Connor his anger at the whole situation showing through.</p><p>“Hell no!” snapped Robin. “Look, I know I’m just a stand in and ain’t even half as good as Dickface. I’d give back the suit in a heartbeat, but I ain’t gonna give it to a guy that can barely move his left arm and then end up gettin’ himself killed. I’d rather have him pissed at me, than dead.”</p><p>“That’s not true,” said Zatanna quietly. “Dick had full movement tonight. It was like he’d never been injured at all.”</p><p>“I would go as far as saying he was faster than before,” added Kaldur.</p><p>“That’s not possible,” said Batgirl shaking her head in disbelief.</p><p>“Yeah well, take it from the girl with the concussion. He’s not injured anymore,” scowled Rocket.</p><p>The room went silent as they contemplated the fate of their friend. Batgirl and Robin looking at each other in confusion. They’d both seen the medical reports, Dick’s shoulder couldn’t be fixed, not to the point where he’d have full movement like he did before the injury. Robin shrugged to Batgirl’s unasked question. It was one more mystery they had to figure out.</p><p>“What’s Batman doing about all this?” asked Wally getting the two younger heroes attention again.</p><p>“We don’t know,” shrugged Batgirl. “Batman has been more secretive than normal since this whole thing started. We know he’s hiding something, we just don’t know what.”</p><p>“He’s more paranoid now,” added Robin. “Especially about letting us go out on our own. We’re either with him or the Team. Nothing less.”</p><p>“Woah, woah, go back a moment. Batman was the one who sent us to Metropolis. Gave us the intel about the potential theft. So he must have wanted us to intercept Dick,” pointed out Artemis. “What else do you know?”</p><p>Robin and Batgirl looked at each other, seemingly having a whole conversation with each other again without saying a word, before Robin reached forward and tapped the keyboard. The holographic screens between them activated showing Dick on the roof tonight. Followed by several other photographs of an all black clad figure, with black full face shield.</p><p>“We know that Batman has tracked Dick to several tech firms, all of whom are leading the way with cutting edge technology. All of them had break-ins, all of which he has Dick as the prime suspect,” explained Batgirl.</p><p>“Why did Batman not go himself tonight?” asked Kaldur.</p><p>“Don’t know and quite frankly I’ve given up asking,” huffed Robin. “What we can confirm is that Dick ain’t alone.” He tapped a few more keys and a photograph of a man in all black with an orange and black face shield appeared standing next to Dick.</p><p>“Deathstroke,” muttered Artemis. “That’s bad.”</p><p>“You know that guy?” asked Wally in shock.</p><p>“Never actually met in person. My father and he do not get along, but they run in the same circles.”</p><p>“He’s a mercenary,” explained Batgirl for the others. “And recently there has been chatter about him taking on an apprentice. Which we suspect is Dick.”</p><p>“He’s a killer,” corrected Artemis. “One of the best, or worst depending on your point of view.”</p><p>“You think Dick went looking for him?” asked Wally skeptically. “No way! Dick’s no killer.”</p><p>“Then I suggest we find him, before it is too late,” said Kaldur.</p><p>“How do you expect us to find him when Batman couldn’t even do that?” asked Connor in disbelief.</p><p>“Actually, I think I may know,” smiled Batgirl. “We follow the tech.”<br/>.<br/>--//--<br/>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm hoping you didn't find the characters too out of character. I will admit that I find it quite difficult to write a lot of the characters from the Team.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>.</p><p>“Tell me you’ve got something, ‘cause I can’t take livin’ with Wally anymore when he’s this worked up,” groaned Artemis as she walked into the computer lab of the Mountain. Four months of nothing, and then we finally see Dick and we go another three weeks of no leads, and..."</p><p>Batgirl looked up at the archer, who was now pacing back and forth across the room.</p><p>“I’ve just never seen him this worked up,” shrugged Artemis as she finally slumped into the chair next to the younger woman. “You know, he runs to a different city every night, just to look around. Hoping he'll run into Dick.”</p><p>“How is that productive?” asked Batgirl in confusion.</p><p>“It’s not, I think he’s just doing it so he has something to do,” sighed Artemis. “If you haven’t noticed, he’d not good at waiting.”</p><p>Batgirl smiled, “Robin isn’t too good at that either. Doesn’t help that he and Batman are fighting more at each other, rather than working together.”</p><p>“The kid is becoming more like Dick everyday,” sighed Artemis. “Challenging authority and all.”</p><p>Batgirl let a small chuckle lose, “I’m not sure that's a good thing. The challenging authority part.”</p><p>The two female vigilantes lapsed into a comfortable silence, each thinking about their respective partners. Seeing the worry that they knew the two men felt, but not knowing how to show it.</p><p>“You know, before all this, Wally and I were talking about getting out of the life,” said Artemis softly. “It was just talk, something we’d fantasize about late at night. We’d dream about how it would feel to have a normal life.”</p><p>“And now?” asked Batgirl hesitantly. Not really knowing if she wanted to know the answer or not.</p><p>“Now, we only talk about saving Dick.”</p><p>“But?” asked Batgirl. “I’m sensing a but.”</p><p>“The 'but',” smiled Artemis as she stood up from her seat, keeping her back to Batgirl. “The but, is that I’m losing faith.”</p><p>Batgirl stayed silent while she waited for Artemis to get her thoughts together, to continue speaking. </p><p>“I’m losing hope that we’ll ever find Dick. And even if we do, he won't be the same kid he was before all this happened,” said Artemis looking back at Batgirl. “Does that make me a bad person?”</p><p>“No,” sighed Batgirl. “It makes you human.”</p><p>The two girls looked at each other, neither wanting to say anything more on their feelings about the whole matter, but both understanding each other. The fear that they kept hidden, buried so deep that when it surfaced it even took themselves by surprise.</p><p>“Wait, human?” asked Artemis. “That’s it!”</p><p>“err... I’m not following.”</p><p>“Dick is human,” grinned Artemis, practically bouncing on her feet.</p><p>“Very aware of that,” said Batgirl, “I’m still not following-“</p><p>“Dick is human. So how did his shoulder heal?”</p><p>“Err-“</p><p>“Can you crack into Green Arrow’s files?” asked Artemis interrupting Batgirl. “Stupid question, I need you to find everything you can on the mirakuru serum.”</p><p>“Okay, and that is?” asked Batgirl already typing away at the computer, not needing more of an explanation. </p><p>“If I’m right, it’s the reason Dick can move the way he does. Did you keep the mask that Dick was wearing?”</p><p>“Batman has it,” answered Batgirl as she continued to type. “Why do we need the mask? There’s no electronics in it, I can’t track him with it.”</p><p>“Dick’s blood. We need to test his blood,” said Artemis. She'd seen the dried blood on the inside when Wally had brought it back to the Mountain.</p><p>“So this serum, we can track Dick with it?”</p><p>“What? No,” said Artemis shaking her head in confusion. “Sorry, I have no idea how to track Dick down, I just might have the answer to why he’s healed.”</p><p>“Okay,” smiled Batgirl. “One answer is better than none I guess."<br/>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So this was short and sweet. The hard part of having certain scenes fixed in your head is how you get from one to the next. The original chapter four wasn't working well so you got this little bit instead. Hopefully it didn't disappoint.<br/>Thoughts appreciaciated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies for not updating, life ran away with me and it meant spare time was limited to continue writing. Hopefully this chapter does not disappoint. Do let me know your thoughts, they are always appreciated.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>“This is you’re only chance, you mess this up and we will not be trying again,”</em> Said Slade over the comm line.</p><p> </p><p>Dick rolled his eyes from where he stood in the computer lab at Wayne Enterprises main research lab in Gotham. “I’ve got this.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You have incoming; I suggest you pick up the pace.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t get your eye-patch in a twist, patience is a virtue,” smirked Dick as he clicked the last couple of keys to get to the file that he wanted. Connecting the USB stick to the drive he hit enter and watched the documents download. “And I’m done.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Good. Now get to the rendezvous point.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Dick smirked as he pocketed the USB and made his way out the lab at a quick pace, turning the corner of the corridor, he skidded to a halt. Standing at the other end was Batgirl and Robin.</p><p> </p><p>“Long time no see,” said Dick as he smiled at them. Which this time they’d be able to see perfectly. He’d managed to convince Slade that he didn’t need the full face shield this time and that a domino mask would be fine. Queue a very long debate about bullets, which Dick pointed out that there wouldn’t be any bullets on this job. Needless to say he’d actually won this discussion. Which Dick did wonder what Slade had in store for him since he let him win this argument, but that was a problem for another day.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing D-“</p><p> </p><p>“Ah-ah, no names in the field,” interrupted Dick. “Here I thought Batman taught you better.”</p><p> </p><p>Batgirl sighed, “Rob-“</p><p> </p><p>“Nope, try again. That ain’t me, or do you not see the replacement standing next to you?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! This shit is all yours for the taking,” snapped Robin. “So why don’t you stop being a <em>dick</em> and come back?”</p><p> </p><p>Dick rolled his eyes at the familiar insult and inflection on his name. “That is so considerate of you,” mocked Dick. “But Batman made his choice.”</p><p> </p><p>“What choice?” snapped Batgirl becoming annoyed with Dick. “He looked for you, the whole League was looking for you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well clearly not hard enough, all those super powers, did anyone try looking the old fashioned way?” Dick was becoming frustrated this was not a conversation he wanted to be having, not here.</p><p> </p><p>“So come back,” huffed Robin. “I don’t see Deathstroke keeping you here. In fact Deathstroke hasn’t been seen with you for some time, so what’s stopping you from coming back?”</p><p> </p><p>“You wouldn’t understand,” muttered Dick. “Now, I need you to get out of my way and let me leave.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah right,” huffed Robin.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then don’t, just come back with us. All this can be fixed,” pleaded Batgirl taking a small step forward.</p><p> </p><p>Dick bowed his head as he let out a long sigh. “I said I didn’t want to hurt you, not that I wouldn’t. Last chance, get out of my way.” He glared up at the two teenagers. Noticing the slight flinch from Batgirl.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, we can’t do that,” sighed Robin as he took out his bo staff and extended it to its full length.</p><p> </p><p>“Fine,” said Dick before he ran at the two of them.</p><p>He ducked under the swing that Robin made with his bo, standing up once he was inside the younger teen’s personal space, he grabbed the bo, with one hand, twisting it out of Robin’s grip, while simultaneously kicking out at the boy’s chest and knocking him backwards.</p><p>Dick landed smoothly on both feet while he twirled the bo with a familiar ease, he swung it towards Batgirl to push her further away from Robin and up against the wall, holding the bo horizontal against her chest. This close to the red head their height difference was noticeable as Dick looked down at her. “Let me go,” whispered Dick.</p><p> </p><p>Barbara gasped as she looked into Dick’s eyes, “never” she whispered back.</p><p>She immediately used her knee to try and hit Dick in the solar plexus, not having enough space she wasn’t able to wind the teenager but she did get enough space to get her foot in between them and kick out making Dick stumble backwards a bit, right into Robin’s fist which connected with the side of Dick’s head.</p><p>Dick crashed to the floor, dropping the bo staff as he went.</p><p> </p><p>“Stay down!” ordered Robin as he stood over Dick still in a ready stance, with his fists raised.</p><p> </p><p>“Or you’ll do what?” spat Dick as he pushed himself slowly to his feet. He touched the edge of the domino mask where he could feel blood running down his face. He didn’t wait for a reply as he scowled at Robin before he moved faster than either of them were expecting and hit Robin with his own first in the face, before twisting and pushing Batgirl away, then spinning back to face Robin and hit him in the face, again.</p><p>Turning slightly, Dick kicked backwards to push Batgirl further down the corridor and away from him and Robin, before using the same leg to swipe Robin’s legs out from underneath him so the teen landed flat on his back. Standing up, Dick caught the punch Batgirl was throwing, by griping her fist in his palm, before twisting her wrist backwards making her scream, while using the open palm of his other hand to strike her chest, letting go of her arm at the same time so she crashed to the floor.</p><p>Turning back to Robin, who was struggling to his feet, Dick grabbed Robin's cape and used the momentum to toss him over his shoulder and into Batgirl so that they were both back sprawled on the floor, a mass of tangled limbs and capes.</p><p> </p><p>“You really should watch your surroundings, or just get rid of the cape,” shrugged Dick as he turned and started walking away.</p><p> </p><p>“So should you,” said Aqualad as he rushed out of a side room and collided with Dick’s side, sending the younger teenager crashing into the wall. Dick groaned as he hit the floor hard. He let out a short growl of frustration as he started to push himself up to his feet when he suddenly found his arms pinned by some invisible force to his sides as he floated up off the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“Does Batman know you’re in his city?” smirked Dick as he looked at Aqualad and Miss Martian who was floating towards him.</p><p> </p><p>“We are taking you into custody?” said Aqualad, ignoring Dick’s question.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll take that as a no then.”</p><p> </p><p>“Batman knows everything,” snarled Robin from behind Dick. “You taught me that.” Then he stabbed a needle into the back off Dick’s neck and pressed the plunger.</p><p> </p><p>“What the f-“ Dick didn’t get to finish his sentence before the effects of the drug were being felt. He couldn’t help but laugh as the black spots came across his vision, his limbs started to feel heavy, he couldn’t hold his head up and then there was nothing.</p><p>.</p><p>--//--</p><p>.</p><p>The first thing Dick felt was cold. He was lying on something cold. Cold and hard. He blinked his eyes open but the world just tilted which made him feel nauseous. Closing his eyes again, he tried to take deep breaths to calm his stomach but even that didn’t seem to work.</p><p>Pushing himself up so he was on his hands and knees his head pounded with the movement, the world tilting like he was on a fair ground ride. Which was enough to push his stomach over the edge and he vomited onto the floor. Groaning at the smell, he pushed himself away, which just had his balance off and he found himself tipping over and onto his side. He lay there, panting while he tried to re-gain control of himself, scrunching his eyes closed. He found himself drifting.</p><p>He could feel that something was wrong. This wasn’t an injury or a concussion. This was something else. As his thoughts drifted away from him one singular thought popped clearly to the forefront. Drugs. He’d been drugged.</p><p>Snapping his eyes open in panic he tried to ignore how the world still moved on its own, how the sinking feeling in his stomach told him he was about to throw up. Trying to push all these stimuli away from the forefront of his mind he started to move his body off the floor and forward.</p><p>He could barely see, he had no balance and he was soon tipping over just waiting for the floor to crash into him.</p><p>Instead he felt hands catch him, what was a fast falling feeling, slowed as he was lowered to the ground, his head and body raised slightly.</p><p>Blinking his eyes open, though he didn’t know when he had closed them again, he frowned at the person who was holding him. Or he thought it was a person, the world was still spinning and he couldn’t focus.</p><p>There was something touching him. Hands on his cold skin, the feeling of them burned. He tried to struggle but his limbs had stopped responding. Someone was talking, no there were two voices. He couldn’t make out what they were saying. It was all too confusing and cold. No he was hot, too hot. He needed to move, he had to keep moving. He had to move faster and make a choice.</p><p>The voices disappeared and the heat was gone and then he was floating again, his thoughts not tangible. Then nothing.</p><p>.</p><p>--//--</p><p>.</p><p>Dick shivered slightly as he opened his eyes, he was lying on the floor, pushing himself up into a seated position he took the opportunity to look around, quickly realising he was in one of the holding cells on the Watchtower.</p><p>It was a simple box, with three solid grey walls and the fourth one was a clear force field which acted as a door and window into the cell. There was no furniture in the room, though Dick knew that there was a panel on the wall which would open up to slide out a toilet.</p><p>Looking down at himself, he saw he was no longer in the black Kevlar body suit he had been wearing when he had been captured. Instead he was now wearing grey sweatpants and sweatshirt He had a vague memory or someone holding him but he couldn’t distinguish the faces so he shrugged it off.</p><p>Using one hand to feel his face he first felt the steri-strips that were at the corner of his right eyebrow, the memory of Robin hitting him coming back to him. He then realised that his domino mask had been removed. Dick smirked to himself, if his mask had been removed then there would only be a select few on the Watchtower. He might not be Robin anymore but Batman wouldn’t compromise Dick’s identity as that would be a very short jump to figuring out the whole of the Bat’s identities.</p><p>Dick looked up to the corner of the ceiling of the room he gave a mock salute to where he knew the hidden camera was, before laying back down onto his back.  There would be nothing to do but just wait. Someone would come down to speak to him soon enough.</p><p> </p><p>It didn’t take long before he was sitting himself back up and leaning against the wall as he heard someone approach the cell. He was surprised about who had come to talk to him though.</p><p> </p><p>Jason in his full robin gear folded his arms and scowled at Dick. “Good to see you awake.”</p><p> </p><p>“How long has it been?” asked Dick. He could tell whatever drugs he’d been given had kept him out for a while. But with no windows or clocks in sight he couldn’t tell how long.</p><p> </p><p>“Since Gotham, nearly twenty-four hours,” shrugged Jason.</p><p> </p><p>“What the fuck did you inject me with?” growled Dick, he hadn’t expected it to be that long. “Enough sedative to take out Killer-Croc!”</p><p> </p><p>“No, just enough to take down a super-soldier that’s enhanced with Mirakuru,” shrugged Jason like the answer was obvious.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,” groaned Dick as he brushed his hand through his hair. “Congratulations, you lot nearly killed me!”</p><p> </p><p>“Hey! We know you took the drug, Green Arrow said you should have only been out for a few hours,” protested Jason.</p><p> </p><p>“And did he base that on Deathstroke’s size? ‘Cause if you haven’t noticed he’s a bit bigger than I am! Geeze, and people think the League are smart.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, well no one thought the golden boy would have chosen to stay with Deathstroke, let alone take his crazy drug and then steal a bunch of stuff,” retaliated Jason as he unfolded his arms and clenched his fists down by his sides.</p><p> </p><p>Dick only continued to glare at Jason.</p><p> </p><p>“What, no snappy comeback this time? Too ashamed that you aren’t perfect anymore?” goaded Jason.</p><p> </p><p>Dick pushed himself slowly up to his feet, ignoring the slight dizziness he was feeling. “How about you just run a long and go get Batman?”</p><p> </p><p>Jason huffed, “You know damn well that Batman will only come down when he’s good and ready and not before.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then it looks like I’m gonna die of dehydration, ‘cause the man won’t be ready to see me unless someone makes him.”</p><p> </p><p>Jason shrugged, “You won’t die anytime soon, they gave you a saline drip several hours ago, and duh you’ve got the miracle drug. Didn’t think you could die anymore?”</p><p> </p><p>Dick rolled his eyes, “You just don’t get it do you. The Mirakuru that Deathstroke gave me was significantly diluted compared to what’s in his bloodstream. There was barely enough to heal my shoulder.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah right! You move way faster than before.  You hit harder too,” scoffed Jason not believing a word that Dick was saying.</p><p> </p><p>“Well that’s genuinely what happens when you get your ass kicked on a daily basis for months. You learn to move faster.”</p><p> </p><p>“So why take the drug?”</p><p> </p><p>“What is with the twenty questions? Batman trying a new interrogation technique?” Dick glanced up at the camera.</p><p> </p><p>Jason shrugged, “He doesn’t know I’m down here, and like I said he and the League have locked themselves in the conference room.</p><p>“So why’d you take the drug?”</p><p> </p><p>Dick sighed, he could ignore Jason but the kid was tenacious he’d just keep asking questions. “It wasn’t much of a choice.”</p><p> </p><p>“Is that why you stayed with him? ‘Cos he healed you?”</p><p> </p><p>“That is… complicated,” Dick said looking away from Jason and focusing on the edges of the force field instead.</p><p> </p><p>“How can it be complicated? Did you even try to leave?” asked Jason not believing what Dick was saying.</p><p> </p><p>“Couple of times, it didn’t end well,” smirked Dick as he started walking along the front of the cell, checking out the seam of where the force field met the floor and walls.</p><p> </p><p>“Batman designed this cell you know, you can’t get out,” said Jason noticing what Dick was doing. Dick didn’t reply to Jason instead he asked his own question.</p><p> </p><p>“So what did B tell people where I’d disappeared to? Slade told me he didn’t send a ransom or a warning, so how did Dick Grayson disappear for so long?”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re in Europe, with Alfred getting specialist treatment for your shoulder. Why did you call Deathstroke Slade? You that friendly with him you call him by his first name?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, but calling him Deathstroke constantly would be ridiculous,” smirked Dick as he examined the ceiling of where the force field met it. He smirked as he turned around and went and examined the toilet and the mechanism that hid it within the wall.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing?” asked Jason, his nervousness showing through. Dick ignored him as he crouched down and reached into the wall and twisted out a small screw that was part of the mechanism. Standing up he turned and walked back to the center of the force field.</p><p> </p><p>“The last few months have taught me a great many things,” said Dick.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, like what?” asked Jason.</p><p> </p><p>“Like nothing is what it seems,” smirked Dick right before he slammed the screw into the center of the force field. He screamed as electricity sparked through the whole thing, arcing out from the center and up to the corners. Ignoring the pain that lanced through his hand and up his arm, he continued to press the screw into the force field, not letting go of his grip no matter how much he wanted the pain to stop.</p><p> </p><p>Dick could hear Jason yelling at him from the other side of the force field, the words though he couldn’t make out as the crackle of electricity grew louder and louder until suddenly there was a loud pop sound and the force field collapsed on itself. Sparks flew from the ceiling where the power had surged through the field generators. Which had Jason ducking and leaping back out of the way.</p><p> </p><p>Dropping the screw, Dick quickly stepped out of the cell and grabbed Jason in a choke hold before the younger teen could react. Squeezing tight, Dick tucked his own head down so that he was out of the way of Jason’s flailing arms. Keeping a tight hold of the teen until after he felt the teen’s body go limp. Gently lowering Jason to the ground, he quickly unhooked Robin’s utility belt and strapped it around himself, the last thing he took was the holo-computer from the Robin suit wrist guard.</p><p> </p><p>He’d still be walking around the Watchtower in nothing but socks on his feet so hopefully he wouldn’t have to fight anyone before making his way to the zeta tube. But first he needed a computer terminal so he could acquire the information which had been the sole reason he had wanted to be captured for in the first place. He had a job to finish.</p><p>.</p><p>--//--</p><p>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Apologies, I said I would update sooner and I still left it a month. Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to keep writing. I do hope this is living up to expectations.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Dick ran swiftly down the halls of the Watchtower, heading directly to the zeta tubes. Probably not the smartest idea, going directly to the exit that would be the first place Batman looked. But short of stealing the Javelin, that was the only way he was getting out of here.</p><p>Before leaving though, he needed the information from the computers. It would have been a hell of a lot easier if he’d been taken to the Batcave like he assumed he would be. Why he was brought to the Watchtower would remain a mystery.</p><p> </p><p>Sliding into the zeta tube arrival room, he first went to the zeta tube controls, he needed to lock in the coordinates for Bludhaven, and making sure no one would be able to use this tube to arrive. That done he started typing in the remote access for the Batcave computer. </p><p>Typing quickly, he accessed the information he needed, before he connected Robin’s wrist computer he’d taken from Jason, and downloaded the information. Unhooking the computer he moved quickly to the zeta tube.</p><p> </p><p>“Find everything you were looking for?”</p><p> </p><p>Dick turned around to face Batman standing in the doorway. “I did actually,” smirked Dick.</p><p> </p><p>“This has gone on long enough. You need to return,” said Batman.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not finished yet,” shrugged Dick.</p><p> </p><p>“We cannot let you leave,” said Wonder Woman coming into the room. Dick flinched slightly, he hadn’t anticipated that he’d have to go up against Wonder Woman. “We cannot let you go back to Deathstroke.”</p><p> </p><p>Dick scoffed, “You all seemed pretty happy with me being in his custody before today, what changed? Don’t like the results?”</p><p> </p><p>“I am sorry that we did not find you sooner. We tried, we all tried.”</p><p> </p><p>“That true Batman? All the skills the league has and you couldn’t find one teenager. It’s almost like they didn’t have all the facts,” mocked Dick.</p><p> </p><p>“Dick!” warned Batman as he took a step closer. Dick mimicked him, taking a step backwards. One step closer to the zeta tube and his exit.</p><p> </p><p>“Bruce?” asked Wonder Woman in curiosity. She was not fluent in the understanding of the double-speak that Batman and his protégé used, but she could often recognise when they said one thing to each other when they were actually talking about something else.</p><p> </p><p>“This ends now. You need to stay here,” said Batman, ignoring Wonder Woman.</p><p> </p><p>“You going to put me in holding again?” asked Dick. “Or will you be transferring me to somewhere else? Iron Heights? Belle Reve? Arkham?” He took a small amount of glee from the slight twitch he noticed in Batman’s facial expression, no one else would have noticed it, but Dick did and Dick knew he’d struck a nerve.</p><p> </p><p>“No! Dick, no. You are not a murderer,” protested Wonder Woman.</p><p>.</p><p>
  <em>--Flashback--</em>
</p><p>.</p><p>
  <em>Dick woke up instantly he could feel that someone was in the same room as him and it wasn’t Slade. Staying perfectly still and keeping his eyes closed he waited to see what was going to happen.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>He heard the faint sound of a blade being pulled out of its sheath. Not wanting to see what that would mean for himself, Dick snapped his eyes open and lunged out of the bed in one fluid move. Sticking low to the floor, Dick swept his leg out to catch the intruder off guard. He knocked the man to the floor, then using his elbow Dick rammed it hard into the guy’s sternum.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Rolling swiftly to his feet he brought his arms up to block another black-clad man swinging a punch at him. Stepping back to absorb the blow, his back slammed into the dresser. Hopping up so he was sitting atop, he brought his legs together and slammed his feet into the man’s chest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The man back-peddled, tripping over his comrade who was still gasping for breath on the floor, before knocking himself out as his head hit the bed-frame.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dick lowered himself back to the ground. Watching the two men lying on his bedroom floor. Was this another test by Slade? It wouldn’t surprise him.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Moving towards the bedroom door, he made sure to keep his eyes on the downed men, which unfortunately meant he didn’t see the fist coming towards his head from a man in the hallway.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His head hit the edge of the doorframe before he collapsed to the ground, his head bouncing off the hardwood floor making his vision white out. Sound all but disappearing.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“ –is the kid-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“- death-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“-make ...  quick-“</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Sound was coming slowly back to Dick as he could hear three voices standing above him. He blinked his eyes open to find that he was still lying on his back in the upstairs hallway. He couldn’t have been out for long.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick’s eyes went wide as he saw the shine of a blade coming down towards him, putting his arms up he caught the wrists of the man who brought the knife down to his chest. Using all his strength he tried to keep the tip away from his chest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He could feel his left shoulder struggling with holding the force back, the tip of the blade getting closer and closer to his skin.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t know what makes you so special,” growled the man leaning more weight on to the blade “for us to be hired to kill a mere boy.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em> The blade sank slowly into the flesh of Dick’s upper left chest as his shoulder gave way under the pressure. Screaming in pain and in frustration, Dick brought his knees up to press against the chest of the guy to give himself more leverage, before he took his hands away from pushing his attacker’s blade away and instead grabbed the guy by the neck. Using his legs as a pivot, he pushed the man over his head and crashing through the banister that separated the upstairs hallway and the drop to the floor below.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick rolled quickly to his feet, his left arm hanging uselessly beside him, as blood soaked through his t-shirt from the wound where the blade had pierced his skin. The blade now back in the hand of the guy who he’d thrown over the banister. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dick glared at the remaining two men who stood before him. For the first time he got a good look at them. They were dressed all in black, hoods up over their faces and cloth covering both their nose and mouth. They looked like modern-day ninjas.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No more time to contemplate who these men were, as one of them ran towards him, a knife raised in a strike. Dick dodged the attack, leaning backwards out of reach before ducking underneath a second swipe then bringing his right fist up to hit underneath the man’s jaw. The guy fell backwards but his buddy was quick to step into the gap, striking across Dick’s right arm with a blade, cutting deep into the muscle.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dick screamed in pain as he backpedalled away from the two attackers. Tripping over the bottom of his pyjama pant legs he landed on his bottom as he tried to back further away.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I don’t think you’re special at all,” laughed the man who had got him with the knife. “You’re just a scared little boy who pissed off the wrong person.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick stopped moving as he glared up at the man. “I’m getting really tired of people telling me what they think I am.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick jumped up and immediately kicked out at the nearest guy, before he spun and punched the second in the throat. Ignoring the pain from his bleeding wounds he twisted the knife out of the guy’s hand before flipping the grip he held, he used it to swipe across the guy’s neck, blood spraying out in a wide arc, covering Dick’s own face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dick ignored it as he threw the knife at the remaining guy where it embedded in his chest. Both men dropped to their knees simultaneously as they tried to stop their own blood from spilling. Dick stared at them as he watched their bodies twitch, and gasp for breath. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Then pain was spreading through his back, he frowned in confusion before he felt himself tipping backwards. Time seemed to speed up and slow down all at the same time. He was falling. Just like they did, and no one was there to catch him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then all too quickly he was lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling as he struggled to breathe.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick flinched as a gunshot went off near him, then Slade was standing over him. Dick tried to push himself up, but found he didn’t have the strength or coordination to do so. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He tried again to push himself up but still couldn’t do it. He groaned in frustration which turned into a cough which sent spikes of pain through his body, followed by the taste of blood in his mouth. The panic which he knew he should have felt when falling was now bubbling to the surface.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move and he couldn’t breathe!</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Kid, open your eyes.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick snapped his eyes open, not realising he had closed them in the first place, to see Slade crouched in front of him, gun in hand. He still couldn’t breathe.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I got you kid,” said Slade as he hoisted the teen up off the floor so he was sitting more upright and against Slade’s own body. Dick’s panic was growing as he realised he had no control over his body.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He couldn’t feel anything. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Slade frowned down at him, “Kid, tell me where it hurts?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It...” Dick gasped.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Richard? Where does it hurt?” asked Slade again, before he sighed. “You can’t feel anything can you?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick gasped as the panic continued to rise. His breathing becoming worse. Slade hoisted him up higher, tilting his head back to ease Dick’s breathing.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Richard, it appears you have a spinal injury. Quadriplegia most likely,” Slade reached forward and wiped away the tear that ran down Richard’s cheek. “I can fix this.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“H...how?” gasped Dick. He didn’t understand.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> “Do you trust me?” asked Slade. Dick only scrunched his face up as he tried to comprehend.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“This really is a choice this time, I can save your life right now or we take that three hour drive to the nearest hospital. Maybe you live, maybe you walk again, maybe you don't, your choice.” </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Richard opened his mouth slightly, Slade leaning forward to catch the slight breath of words.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Cat-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em><br/>“Catch?” asked Slade in confusion. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Ye-“</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Slade looked down at the teen, “I’ve never lied to you, in the whole time that you’ve been here. The serum I can give you, if it doesn’t heal you it may kill you.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick closed his eyes, his breathing turning into mere gasps.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“The worse you get the more likely it will kill you. You need to make a decision. Yes or no?” prompted Slade.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> “Ye-“</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Slade looked at the teen, “yes, you want to try the serum?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Y-“</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>--flashback--</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Dick scowled at Wonder Woman and Batman, as he shook the memory away. Out of everything he had been through in the past few months that was the night which had changed it all. The first time he’d done what Slade wanted and reacted on instinct and not held back.</p><p> </p><p>Taking another step backwards, his hand moving to the back of the utility belt he’d taken from Robin. He was so close to getting out of here, but every moment he stayed was one more moment where Wonder Woman had the opportunity to take him out.</p><p> </p><p>“I think it’s a little late for me to just forget the last few months ever happened,” huffed Dick.</p><p> </p><p>“Talking-“</p><p> </p><p>Dick laughed “Sessions with Black Canary won’t fix this.” He took another step backwards.</p><p> </p><p>“Dick, stop moving,” ordered Batman.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ve got a choice to make, spend the time stopping me or you can save Robin. You can’t do both,” said Dick.</p><p> </p><p>“Jason is fine.”</p><p> </p><p>“Today he is, but it’s not what I’m going to do to him, but what I won’t be able to save him from.” Dick grabbed the smoke bombs with one hand throwing them at Batman and Wonder Woman, while he simultaneously dashed the last few feet to the zeta tube. Sliding on his knees as he threw a handful of batarangs behind him to deter the two heroes from following him. The light of the zeta tube engulfed him and he was gone.</p><p> </p><p>Batman and Wonder Woman looked at the empty space where Dick had just been standing.</p><p> </p><p>“Why do I get the feeling that you are once again hiding something,” said Diana as she looked to Bruce.</p><p>.</p><p>--//--</p><p>.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm quite aware that I am not technologically savvy, and therefore I've made stuff up using things from TV and movies, when it comes to tracking and computer parts for this chapter - go with me.<br/>However, I do realize that for those readers who do have the 'know-how' that it can be incredibly frustrating when things are just blatantly wrong. Therefore I'm happy to receive any words of wisdom individuals would like to pass on, so that their reading experience is enjoyable :-)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robin looked up when he heard the zeta-tube chime, walking towards him was Batgirl, Kid Flash and Artemis. None of them looked happy.</p><p> </p><p>“You okay?” asked Batgirl as she looked the younger teenager up and down, his uniform was scuffed up and he was missing his utility belt and wrist computer.</p><p> </p><p>Robin stood up, “’m fine,” he grunted.</p><p> </p><p>“Those bruises say differently,” pointed out Artemis.</p><p> </p><p>Robin touched his neck where Dick had choked him out, then shrugged. “They’ll heal and they won’t slow me down. Dick knew what he was doing.”</p><p> </p><p>“Dick’s gone off the reservation,” huffed Artemis. She held a hand up to Kid Flash to stop him jumping into Dick’s defense. “He’s done a lot of reckless s-“</p><p> </p><p>Robin interrupted, “No, Dick knew what he was doing.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’ve said that already,” pointed out Batgirl.</p><p> </p><p>“If Dick really wanted to hurt me, he could have done a lot more damage. He could have held on longer, made sure I didn’t wake up for a long time. But he didn’t, he choked me out just long enough so that he could take my wrist computer and belt.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, I’m assuming he needed the stuff in your belt to escape the watchtower,” said Artemis.</p><p> </p><p>“He used the smoke pellets, you can see the residue,” pointed out Robin.</p><p> </p><p>“He’d need more than smoke pellets to escape Batman,” pointed out Batgirl.</p><p> </p><p>“And Wonder Woman,” added Robin.</p><p> </p><p>“Wonder Woman is here?” asked Kid Flash.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, her and Batman have been in the conference room since Dick left,” pointed out Robin.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, tell me this, you picked Dick up in Gotham, right? So why did you bring him here? Why not go to the Batcave?” asked Artemis.</p><p> </p><p>“Batman told us to,” said Batgirl automatically, before she looked at Robin.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, they’re doing that bat thing where they have a whole conversation without actually saying something outload,” pointed out Kid Flash in a fake whisper, as he elbowed Artemis.</p><p> </p><p>“I can see that,” smirked Artemis. “Spill it guys, what have you just thought of?”</p><p> </p><p>“When Batman told us to bring Dick here, we just assumed it was because Dick would know how to escape the cave,” said Batgirl.</p><p> </p><p>“But Dick knows the Watchtower better than any of us,” added Robin. “So why come here?”</p><p> </p><p>“Like you said, Dick is good at that escapologist stuff,” said Artemis. “At least here there would be other leaguers.”</p><p> </p><p>“So where were they?” asked Kid Flash.</p><p> </p><p>“Wonder Woman was on watch duty,” said Robin. “The others, I actually don’t know.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wait, so Batman, the guy who has more secrets than anyone we know. The guy who doesn’t share, decided to bring his eldest son who’s gone over to the dark-side to the Watchtower of all places where other people can witness what’s become of Dick. That doesn’t make sense.”</p><p> </p><p>“Specifically, the bit about Dick going to the dark-side,” added Kid Flash.  Artemis elbowed him in the ribs. “Oomph!”</p><p> </p><p>“My point, was why Batman would bring Dick here?” asked Artemis. The four teens looked at each other as they thought about it.</p><p> </p><p>“Dick told Batman he had to let him go or he couldn’t save me,” muttered Robin. He looked up and over to the doors of the conference room. “Batman knew!” growled Robin as he marched over to the conference door, the other teens calling out and following behind him.</p><p> </p><p>Robin pushed the conference door open with enough force that the door slammed into the wall and bounced back, nearly hitting Batgirl in the face as she tried to keep up with the younger teenager.</p><p> </p><p>“Robin-“</p><p> </p><p>“Tell the truth!” snapped Robin pointing his finger at Batman. “You’ve known exactly where Dick has been this whole time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Robin, that’s ridiculous,” said Batgirl. She looked over to Batman and Wonder Woman who were standing on opposite sides of the conference table. “Oh, god,” she gasped.</p><p> </p><p>“Dick told me, that things weren’t what they seemed,” said Robin. “He also keeps repeating that we don’t have all the facts. So what are we missing?”</p><p> </p><p>“Robin-“</p><p> </p><p>“Batman, if you do not tell them then I will,” said Wonder Woman firmly.</p><p> </p><p>“Tell us what?” asked Kid Flash.</p><p> </p><p>“It was Dick’s choice,” said Batman.</p><p> </p><p>“The whole truth, Bruce,” warned Wonder Woman.</p><p> </p><p>Batman looked over to her before looking back at the teenagers. “I found Dick two months after Deathstroke had taken him.”</p><p> </p><p>“You what!” snapped Kid Flash. Artemis grabbed his arm to hold him back.</p><p> </p><p>“Let him finish,” she whispered.</p><p> </p><p>“Dick has been with Deathstroke for five months and yet he knew where Dick was for the past two months, this-“</p><p> </p><p>“You gave him a mission,” growled Robin, interrupting Kid Flash.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not that simple,” answered Batman. “The-“</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t you dare say, the greater good!” yelled Batgirl, uncharacteristically speaking out against her mentor. “Dick was injured and he… he…”</p><p> </p><p>“He’d do anything for you,” finished Robin. “Anything to prove that he was still useful. He-“</p><p> </p><p>“I think we need to hear everything, from the beginning,” interrupted Artemis before emotions got too high. She stared at Batman, keeping a strong grip on Wally as she did, so she wouldn’t back down from the dark knight.</p><p> </p><p>There was silence in the conference room while Artemis continued to hold her nerve against the dark knight, until finally Batman nodded. “I suggest you all take a seat.”</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Flashback</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The security guard followed silently behind the teenager dressed in black who was moving swiftly through the office block hallways. Stopping in front of the main server room, the teenager pulled out a small handheld tool from a pouch on the back of his belt.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A few quick movements later and the panel of the electronic lock was removed and the teenager had crossed the wires to bypass the lock and the door opened.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The guard made his move then, grabbing a hold of the boy, twisting one of the boy’s arms behind his back, pushing them both into the room, he held the teenager up against the wall pushing the side of his face into the wall. The teenager grunted as he struggled, trying to use his one free arm to get leverage and maneuver away from his assailant.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The hand holding his head still, moved suddenly, pulling the comm. out of the teenager’s ear, the sound of it being crushed under a boot echoed through the room.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Chum, it’s me,” said a familiar low voice. Dick automatically froze, the hands holding him against the wall let him go, allowing Dick to step away and spin around to face Bruce. He frowned slightly when he looked at the disguised man. He was wearing prosthetics and a wig to hide his identity and wearing the Wayne Enterprises security guard uniform, instead of the Batman uniform. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It took you long enough,” huffed Dick as he sagged slightly against the wall, wincing as he held his left arm close to his body, his shoulder aching. He didn’t care right now why Bruce hadn’t come as Batman.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em> “I’m sorry,” said Bruce.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You never apologise,” said Dick as he looked up at Bruce in shock. Seeing Bruce’s expression, Dick couldn’t help the slight giggle that left him. “You’re not here to take me home, are you?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Not yet,” sighed Bruce.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You can’t leave me with this monster!” Dick snapped as he pulled off the face shield so that Bruce could get a good look at the multiple layers of bruises that covered his face, along with the split lip and stitches across his temple.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Listen to me Dick, we don’t have much time,” said Bruce. “Deathstroke stole a next generation weapon, I need you to find out where he is keeping it and what he plans to do with it.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Are you insane!” snapped Dick. All the anger he felt towards Bruce before he was kidnapped coming back full force. How could he do this to him?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Is he planning on selling it, or using it himself?” continued Bruce, ignoring Dick’s outburst. “You’re the only one who can do this.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“You fired me from being Robin and now you want me to stay with Deathstroke?” hissed Dick as he pushed away from the wall. Walking further away from Bruce. This was so typical of Batman. The mission always came first.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“It’s important chum. Deathstroke stole that weapon as part of a contract for Ra’s Al Ghul the week before he took you. At this time I don’t know if the two things are connected-“</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Deathstroke took me because he’s a psychopath!” snapped Dick spinning back to face Bruce.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Dick, you’re the only one who can find out this information, if there was another way-“</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“How about just another Robin,” growled Dick. “Or is Jason too important to be left in a criminal’s hands.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Bruce sighed, as he looked down at his watch. Deathstroke would come looking for Dick soon, he needed to speed this up. “You have more skills than Jason, which is why I trust you to be able to complete this mission.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Find out where Deathstroke is keeping the weapon and what he is going to use it for. If he’s working for Ra’s or even The Light, then the likelihood is that he’ll be targeting the League, which means Jason is in danger.” </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>As soon as he mentioned Jason, he saw the tension leak out of Dick. The teenager turned around slowly to look back at Bruce, the fight drained out of the boy. “You can handle this, I trust you, and I’ll be able to track you from this point onwards. You won’t be alone.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“How?”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Subdural nanite technology-“</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“That won’t work,” sighed Dick. “Deathstroke frequently sweeps for bugs.” </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“The technology is untraceable by conventual means. It doesn’t admit a signal that can be detected, instead it picks up a unique frequency. Once the signal gets picked-up, I will be alerted and will then be able to further narrow down your location.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bruce pulled out a small device that looked like an epi-pen. “The needle can go through your clothing and directly into the muscle.” </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick nodded and let Bruce approach, crouching down he informed Dick to relax, right before he jabbed the needle into Dick’s thigh.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m going to need a reason for why I’ve taken so long,” sighed Dick as he rubbed his leg to ease the slight pain.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“There’s no cameras in here,” answered Bruce. “If Deathstroke decided to look at the security footage, he’ll see a guard following you into the room, you can explain that you fought. Now you need to download the information you were instructed to get, the servers have already been unlocked.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Bruce stepped to the side, to let Dick have access to the terminal. Dick pulled out a USB stick, inserting the device and started the search, finding the information he needed he started the download.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick looked up suddenly when the server room door started to open, “What is taking so long?” asked Deathstroke entering the room. “Ah, entertaining the hosts I see.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Dick looked behind him to see Bruce face down on the floor, not moving. The crushed comm. and Dick’s discarded face shield on the floor beside him.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“I got the data,” said Dick holding up the USB. Before he bent down to pick up the face shield.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Are you hurt?” asked Deathstroke looking Dick up and down.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“’m fine,” huffed Dick.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Then let’s go, our exit window is closing.” Deathstroke lead the way out, with Dick close behind him. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>End Flashback</p><p> </p><p>--</p><p> </p><p>The conference room was silent as Batman finished his explanation. Right before all four teenagers started yelling at the man at the same time.</p><p> </p><p>“How could you?”<br/>“That wasn’t a choice!”</p><p>“He trusted you!”</p><p>"How did you find him?"</p><p>“You’ve known the whole time”</p><p>“You manipulated him and us!”</p><p>“He’s your son-“</p><p> </p><p>“Enough!” snapped Wonder Woman, silencing the teenagers. “What is done, is done.”</p><p> </p><p>“He purposefully put Dick at risk,” growled Robin pointing at Batman. “That wasn’t a choice, it was an ultimatum.”</p><p> </p><p>Kid Flash laughed, making everyone look at him in surprise. “That’s what Dick said, the first time we saw him on the roof when he was stealing the microprocessor.”</p><p> </p><p>“What’s the difference between a choice and an ultimatum,” recited Artemis as she remembered the event.</p><p> </p><p>“I always thought he was talking about Deathstroke, but he was talking about you!”</p><p> </p><p>“Dick made his choice when he became Robin, just like we all did. He’s strong, he-“</p><p> </p><p>“Then why did he leave?” interrupted Robin. “We got him back, we brought him here, he had the opportunity to hand over any information he had gained. Instead he chose to break out and leave. Why?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes when you play a role, you can forget your true self,” answered Wonder Woman gently.</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds like you think he’s gone rogue,” huffed Artemis.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe just lost. Now we know we can track him, we should bring him home. Remind Dick what he is truly fighting for.”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t believe Dick would go to the dark-side,” said Kid Flash adamantly. “He must have a reason for leaving.”</p><p> </p><p>“He remote accessed the bat-computer, downloaded a root-key,” said Batman.</p><p> </p><p>Batgirl frowned, “That’s like an all access pass to any computer system there is, why would Dick need that? Especially since he could probably write his own code for his own root-key.</p><p>“Batman, what was this weapon which Deathstroke stole?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s an experimental single origin, multi-detonation weapon of four different targets. A high payload but can fit into a back-pack,” explained Batman.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, so I doubt the root-key would be for that. Robin, you said he took your wrist-computer?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p> </p><p>“That must be what the micro-processor is for. That would boost the operating system, the root-key isn’t something we would have on the wrist-computer so maybe Dick still needs to access some information, or find someone.”</p><p> </p><p>“But Deathstroke had the contract before he took Dick, which means he would have the target locations already, he wouldn’t need Dick to find them for him,” said Artemis.</p><p> </p><p>“Unless Dick made his own deal with Deathstroke,” said Batman. Everyone looked over to the dark knight, waiting for him to explain further. “Deathstroke wanted an apprentice, perhaps Dick agreed on the condition that Jason would be safe.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what he said before he left,” added Wonder Woman. “You had a choice, save him or save Jason. You can’t do both.”</p><p> </p><p>“You know I’m really tired of all these ultimatums. I’m still kicking, so let’s go save the self-sacrificing idiot and bring him home,” said Robin. “I say we end this today.”</p><p> </p><p>“Agreed, let’s bring our boy home,” smiled Batgirl.</p><p> </p><p>Batman pulled up the holo-computer and typed in a few commands. “He’s currently in Bludhaven.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>--//--</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for sticking with me on this journey, it's been a tough couple of months for myself which meant writing took a backseat for a while. I'll try not to make any promises on when the next update will be, but I do hope it will be sooner than before.<br/>All comments and opinions are gratefully received.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not sure if this is going to be part of a larger plot or remain a stand alone story. Haven't figured that out yet, but I woke up with this idea and it wouldn't leave me alone. So I had to get it written down.<br/>Thoughts appreciated.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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